❖ The Health Department has initiated the process of empanelling private hospitals under Dr. Muthu Lakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme (MRMBS).

❖ The scheme provides financial assistance to the poor pregnant women mandated delivery at government institutions till 2017.

❖ Thereafter, the government has approved extension of the scheme to those who availed themselves of free health services at private medical college hospitals.

❖ In 2018, it was co-branded with the government of India’s Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).

❖ In its present form, the scheme extends the financial assistance to the tune of ₹18,000 that included two maternal nutritional kits each worth ₹2,000.